I Am
by Ambereve
Summary: Hope Emerson lost her memories, and she's on a mission to get them back from an evil organization determined to erase all fairy tales. Xavier Unknown and Hope must save the fairy tales. She is the only one that can prevent the destruction, because her mind is trapped in the protagonist's body.
1. Prologue

I've lived all my life with CLOAK, so my dream as a child was to see the outside world. Agents are permitted to live outside if they are married or widowed, while the rest of us live within the society. I learned two ways that could grant me access to the world outside of my own. The first was to marry. The second was to join the special ops squad, and that is where I met my fiancee, Hope Emerson. At the time, I didn't know she was the daughter of the CLOAK president.

Hope and I were born within the society like every agent since the founding. We weren't as well known until our technology advanced, but now we do the dirty work assigned to us by the government. We have our mission; the same one we based our society around, which is the preservation of literature. CLOAK stands for Cops Leading Operations against Killers. Our number one enemy is the E.L.A – the Elimination of Literature Association. Their goal is to rid the world of stories and tales that give hope and happiness to any adult or child.

To become an agent of CLOAK, one has to be seventeen or older and have good health, but they also have to pass the entrance exams, the Critical Emotions and Decisive Actions training, and the Loyalty Detector test. I was labeled a genius, because I was the first and only to have passed the exams at fifteen.

Hope and I were given a mission to protect the elimination of the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty. I begged Hope to drop out. I assured her that I could complete the mission without her. She had laughed and slapped me on the back saying there was no way in hell that she'd let me have all the glory. She was different from every other CLOAK member. An agent must have ice as blood. We are never to feel, but only complete the mission. Hope made me feel. She gave me my emotion back. In a mission, if your comrade was injured you must leave them behind to complete the mission.

Hope wanted to be with me on the mission. So I asked her to take the training course over again. How was I to know that the machine would delete her memory? The computer specialists were hesitant on removing her from the Mind Transferal Unit. I begged the president to keep her in the machine until the specialists could retrieve her memory, but I had to go on with my mission. An agent must always think of the mission. Literature is our number one priority.

If only I had let her come with me on the mission, we wouldn't be in this mess. If what the computer specialists said was true that data is never truly erased then maybe Hope's memory will be recovered. I just hope it isn't too late to save her.


	2. Chapter 1

I could feel my lungs fill with air as I cough. Gripping my chest, I try to focus my mind so that it would stop spinning. My name is – I can't remember, but why? Hello? This voice, is it mine? Yes, this is my voice, but where am I? Is anyone there?

_I am here._

Who are you?

_What a silly thing to ask? I am you, remember?_

"Briar, are you free yet?"

Briar? Is that my name?

_Uh, no!_

Then what is my name?

_Our name is Hope_.

Ours? You mean mine?

"Briar! Why aren't you answering me?"

I shake my head. Who was that talking in my mind? I can't hear her voice anymore. Where did she go?

Looking around the room, I had woken up in a place I hadn't expected, but what had I been expecting?

_Well duh, a room with beautiful furniture and a four-poster bed._

Yes, that right; I wanted flowered wallpaper and pink-tiled floors. Hey, wait! Why didn't you answer me when I was talking to you?

_I'll talk when I feel like it, and now I feel like talking._

_Flowered wallpaper and pink-tiled floors? Yeah, right. And what you got was a cement surface with stains that you probably don't want to think twice about. Plus there's a boarded window with hideous red wine colored drapes. Such awful taste, don't you think? And the walls! Don't get me started on that – water stains and mold? They must have the worst luck in decorators._

_You know that was funny, right? Come on laugh. I dare you. You might as well with the terrible scenery. You seriously need to tell them they need a serious wake-up call. I recommend setting an alarm. Have they never heard of a brush and some paint? Put those words together and you get a paint brush! Go on tell them they need to paint their walls bright green. It'll go well with all the mismatched furniture cluttered in this god-awful room._

Okay, I get it you're talking. Now, will you please be quiet? I need to check something. I clutch my chest and listen for a heartbeat.

_You're not having a heart attack honey._

What is this strange feeling? I know I am not supposed to be in this body. I am someone else and not the woman whose body that I am in. I have an original body somewhere. If I admit these thoughts out loud, I don't think I would keep my image of sanity.

_Just say you're crazy, that makes life so much easier._

"Briar! Did you cut through the ropes yet?"

Who is Briar? I look around for the voice. A blonde woman in a fuchsia gown lies on her side with her arms tied behind her. She attempts to sit up; finally, she manages to prop her body against a sturdy-looking wooden chair.

"Who are you?" I ask.

She stares at me with wide eyes. She blinks a couple of times before she says, "I don't think I heard you right?"

"I don't know who Briar is."

"Funny Briar. Very funny. We don't have time for jokes. Help me out of these ropes. My fingers are numb. We need to hurry and get out of here before they come back."

_She's the funny one. I kid, I kid. She's slow like molasses. Anyone can see that you have amnesia._

"I'm sorry –?"

"I never knew you were such a joker. Now hurry and help me," she interrupts with a nervous laugh.

I look down and see a piece of glass. Severed ropes lay near my thigh. I carefully pick up the glass and move to where the blonde woman is. I rub the sharp edge of the glass against the bindings. As I work to free her wrists, I ask again, "Who are you?"

"Briar, I said that's not funny."

"I'm not Briar." I free her hands and sit down, finally realizing that I'm in a wedding dress.

_You're a smart one, aren't you? Why don't you just scream and say that she needs to clean her ears. Apparently, she refuses to register that you don't who she is, and I thought molasses was slow. She gives it a whole new meaning. That's it! I dub her Molasses Girl. If she doesn't tell you her name anytime soon, just call her Molasses Girl from now on. I bet she'll appreciate the sentiment._

"Damn it, Briar. That's your name. I don't want to hear anything else about it. For right now, please pretend you know me. I'm your sister, Jenny. Lie to me. Just for right now. I'll worry about you forgetting me later. Yes, I'll remember later. Or tomorrow. Just NOT now. Okay? Okay?" She raises her voice with a strained smile.

With her eyes in crazy town, I didn't dare argue with her.

I scoot away and place my hands on my lap. Avoiding eye contact, I ask with a careful tone as I move the glass shard far from her reach. "Jenny? Can you tell me where we are?"

"In an abandoned warehouse." Jenny rubs the wrinkles out of her dress. She stands and offers a hand to me. I take it, and as she helps me up she says, "Either we wait until James pays for our ransom, or we escape. But I don't know when those two thugs will come back. So we need to make a decision fast."

James? I don't think I should ask or she might give me those eyes again. I pick up the skirts of my wedding dress and see that I'm not wearing any shoes. Jenny isn't wearing any either. "What are we going to do, Jenny? How will we escape without shoes?"

I feel pathetic. I don't know Jenny, but for some reason I feel like I should protect her. She frightens me a little, but I want to help her get out of wherever we are. I want to tell Jenny exactly what we needed to do, but every time I had a good thought in my head it evaporated. I knew I was better than that. I didn't want to be the helpless female that waits for her man to save her. I have to be strong if not for me than for Jenny.

"Oh, shoes? Who needs those old things anyway? When James comes to find us he'll probably brings us some slippers and hot chocolate. You have such a wonderful fiancé. Don't you Jenny?"

"Uh, yeah. I guess. So I'm getting married?"

"Why would you ask such an obvious question? Of course you are. You were supposed to get married yesterday, but we were abducted. From the limo."

Male shouts echo from the other side of the door. There was an unlocking sound. The door is thrown open; a large hairy man storms in. He looks directly at me and gives a toothy grin. I grab Jenny's arm and pull her away from the entrance. The abductor shouts past his shoulder. "Paul, we need more rope."

Paul replies, "Damn it, Gerry, that's why I told you to make sure all the glass was swept up before we started this gig."

"Yeah, yeah," Gerry groans. "Whatever. Just get me the rope."

"And make sure you bring the blonde one. We don't need her. We only need the broad in the wedding dress. Make sure she can't get loose this time." Paul tosses the rope into the room and slams the door.

I need to do something; they're going to kill her. I remember the glass shard. I pull Jenny back toward the wooden chair. I pretend to fall and pick up the glass. I cut two of my fingers in the process. The cuts don't seem that deep, so I dig the shard even deeper into my fingers. Grinding my teeth, I hide my hand behind my back when I stand back up. Jenny slides her arm through mine, clinging to me.

"I don't know what you're doing, but it's not going to work." He suddenly smiles. "We'll take turns with the blonde before we kill her."

Jenny shivers, whispering, "Briar, do something."

"It's going to be okay," I whisper back. "I'll make sure you get out alive, okay. Just trust me."

I untangle our arms. I push her forward and breathe 'run'. She lunges for the door. Paul swings around to grab her, but I fling my blood into his eyes. He shouts and reaches for his eyes, dropping the rope. He lurches for me, but I kick out and trip him. He loses his balance and grabs for the chair. I pull it out of his reach. He falls forward and hits his head on the chair's corner. I check his pulse after he doesn't move.

Jenny stops at the door and stares at me. "Come on."

"No, you go and get James."

"We can escape together."

"There's another guy in the hall. If we run fast enough maybe, but I don't think I can keep it up for long. My head's pounding from the pain." I rip part of my dress and wrap my fingers. "If I can take down the other guy than we can escape together. But if I can't, you run and find James. They want me. They'll only kill you." I grab the rope and attempt to bind Gerry's arms. I pick up the glass shard.

"But Briar…"

"I have to do this. We need to hurry. I didn't tie him up very well. So if he wakes up he'll catch us. And Jenny, the only thing you need to worry about is running. Leave the rest to me. Just don't look back. No matter what."

When she nods, she opens the door. I follow her, wiping some of my blood on the wedding dress. We tip-toe pass an open doorway. I push her in front of me. I look down the dimly lit hall and see the exit. Where was Paul?

"Damn you," I hear from behind me as an arm locks around my neck.

I scream, "Run Jenny. Don't look back. Just keep going and find James."

Paul tries to drag me with him but I stab the shard into his forearm. He curses and loosens his grip. I dart free but he grabs my hair and yanks me to a halt.

"You think you're so smart. We don't need that broad anyway. As long as we have you the client doesn't care. I'm not going to make the same mistake like that fool." He yanks the glass from his arm and throws it across the hall. "There won't be any glass for you to escape this time, honey. Until the client comes, you're not going anywhere. Got it?"

"James will come for me."

"We'll kill James or anybody else who tries." Paul drags me back into the room, ties me up, and dumps me on the couch.

Paul had swept the glass away, so now I couldn't escape. I was still bleeding even though I wrapped my fingers. By the time James gets here my dress might as well be red. As I lie in an uncomfortable position. I wonder if I'll get my real body back. As I contemplate if I should try and get some sleep, a black, green and orange churning gash of energy forms in the wall. I watch as a man in sunglasses, wearing a white tie styled suit, walks out. He opens a pocket watch. The gash behind him immediately vanishes. He strolls over to the corner and leans against the wall. His attention is focused on the watch.

"Excuse me."

The man continues to look down at the watch.

"Hello? I know you can hear me."

He looks up and frowns. "You see me? Hmm, how odd."

"Of course I can see you. Can you untie me?"

"You heard me? Strange," he replies in a dry voice.

"Isn't seeing and hearing practically the same thing. What don't you get about it? Now will you please help me? And if you say that's strange or odd again, I'll scream."

"Don't bother. No one is supposed to see me, not even you. I'll have to talk with those computer specialists again. Now can you please be quiet? I'm trying to take readings."

"Well, I see you. So untie me first."

He snaps the watch shut and stuffs it into his pocket. "I'm not supposed to mess with the story. I am only here to observe. We really need to update this program. To normal people, I'm supposed to be invisible."

"That's nice and all…untie me!"

"No, I don't have too." He crosses his arms.

"Can you at least set me upright if you're not going to help?"

"If I do, will you shut up?" When I nod, he says, "You better."

He vanishes and reappears beside me. I gasp, "How did you do that?"

"And this is why normal people shouldn't see me. I hate having to explain myself."

"Are you a ghost? An angel? A superhero?"

"Just a figment of your imagination. If you don't shut up I'll leave you here like this. Don't think I won't? Try me."

I say nothing.

"Good." He grabs my shoulder and then suddenly jumps back with wide eyes. "What the hell? Why are you in there? You're –"

"What's wrong with you? Are you going to sit me up or not?"

He gawks at me. "What is your name?"

"That's difficult."

"You either know your name or don't. Now answer me," he growls.

"My name isn't Briar. That's what Jenny called me. I can't remember who I am though."

"What do you mean you can't remember?"

"A voice in my head says my name is Hope."

"A voice?"

"I know I sound crazy. But that's just how it is. I think she knows more about me than I do."

"I believe you. I felt half of your mind in Briar's body. That voice you're hearing is the other half of your mind."

"With my memories? But why?"

"There was an accident. It's my fault. If only I brought you with me then this wouldn't have happened. Do you still hear her voice?"

I listen and wait.

"I don't hear her anymore."

"Then that can only mean one thing the E.L.A has your memory."

"She was just here with me."

_I'm still here._

"Wait, I hear here again."

"What is she saying?"

_They didn't take all of me. Only ninety-five percent…okay, basically all of me. I'm weak. So I need to rest._

"She says she's weak. Is there a way to get my mind back? I mean, can you stick the rest of her inside of me?"

"I can. I just need to locate her first."

He pulls out his pocket watch.

"What are you doing? How is a watch supposed to help find my memory?"

"My pocket watch tracks energy. I'll explain later. By the way, my name is Xavier Unknown the second."

"Unknown? Is that supposed to be funny?"

"That's my last name." Xavier stops by the wooden chair. He kneels down and pulls off a sticker, the size of a marble, in the shape and appearance of an eye.

"This is part of your memory. It's small, but we're lucky to get some of it back. I'm not sure what you'll remember."

"It's an eye."

"They stick to just about anything. Depending on the size of data, the eyes can grow even larger. If we're lucky, we'll find more of them. If you hear your mind talking again, let me know. That means part of your memory is nearby."

"But I thought the E.L.A took her."

"They did. Some of the data must have fallen off. Now stay absolutely still." Xavier places the eye on my forehead. He commands, "Enter."

Images play, and I see mountains and a large gray, stone building. "I remember CLOAK."

"Then you must remember that we have a mission to complete."

"No. That' all I remember. I wish there was more."

"We'll find the rest. I promise you."

He points to the rope. "Sever." The ropes fall off. Xavier pulls me off the couch. "Come on. We have a lot of work to do. Since the rules have changed, we'll have to be even more careful than originally planned."


End file.
